If hybrids, plug-in hybrids and EVs are going to become the mainstream, it wouldn't hurt if rival manufacturers stole a few design ideas from the updated BMW i8 coupe and the i8 Roadster that are on display this week at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The i8 Roadster may have made its debut already at the LA Auto Show last year, but this was a world premiere for the refreshed i8 coupe that builds on the revisions the German automaker made when it unveiled the i8 Roadster.
One of the headline changes to the i8 comes in the shape of a new battery, which is a 11.6 kWh lithium-ion unit BMW is claiming delivers an electric-only driving range of 34 miles. Although, it has to be said that range could well be downgraded when it's put through the rigorous US testing cycles. The electric motor part of the hybrid propulsion system now produces an additional 12 horsepower, which takes the total output of the new i8 to a healthy 374 horsepower. The car is capable of driving without the use of its three-cylinder petrol engine at speeds of up to 65 mph, or up to 75 mph with the push of the eDrive button, and 62 mph can be reached from a standing start in as little as 4.4 seconds.
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Further additions to the i8 include a set of optional 20-inch alloy wheels, "Coupe" badging to identify it as different to its convertible sibling, and new E-Copper metallic and Donington Grey metallic exterior paint colors that are also available on the Roadster. And on the inside of the new i8 there's a new Accaro eCopper interior color scheme, optional carbon trim and ceramic elements, and an available heads-up display with shift-light visualization for those who like that sort of thing.
BMW announced there will be just 200 units of an i8 Roadster Launch Edition, featuring a Carpo interior design package with full leather black-and-white trim. Also, the i8 is just part of a larger strategy of electrification for BMW that's supposed to deliver 25 electrified models by 2025.
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